Oconee County left Al Reaves Field in Eatonton last Friday with a 20-0 victory over Putnam County.
The War Eagles played a very physical game, but were overpowered by the Warriors, who are the No. 7-ranked team in Class AAA, per the Maxwell Ratings.
“Our defense played great, but they have a lot of explosive players. They’re not only explosive players, they’re very, very physical and are very wellcoached,” Oconee County head coach Ben Hall said. “They did a nice job of scheming us up on both sides of the ball. Our defense played hard and were able to maintain a shutout in the second half. We also just weren’t going to do anything to put ourselves in a precarious situation offensively. So, with the defense playing the way they were playing, and punter playing like he did, I love winning ball games like that.”
The physical battle started on the game’s first drive.
The Warriors drove the length of the field, scoring in nine plays. They had no trouble moving the ball as senior White Weeks carried the bulk of the load. He finally punched it in from four yards out, which gave Oconee County the early advantage.
The War Eagles went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but a fake punt on fourth down kept the chains moving. Senior DJ Bland took the snap, rolled around and rushed for the short gain. A few plays later, the Putnam offense would be forced to punt.
Kemarion Griffin then came up with a fumble on the Warriors’ first play from scrimmage. The War Eagles started their next drive on the Oconee County 27-yard line.
Freshman quarterback Branan Griffin completed a few passes as PCHS got down inside the 10; however, the War Eagles faced another fourth down. They decided to go for it, but this time was unsuccessful as Griffin’s scramble effort came up short on the six-yard line.
Putnam County was able to slow down Weeks and that potent Warrior offensive attack in the second quarter. The War Eagles caught some breaks and forced Oconee County to kick two field goals, which gave the Warriors a 13-0 lead heading into halftime.
“I thought our kids played hard, but we’re just making some mistakes,” Putnam County head coach Shaun Pope said. “We’ve just got to clean it up on offense. They gassed us on that first drive. We weren’t fit really well on defense, but once we started to get situated, that slowed them down. It was a heck of a game. A very physical battle.”
The War Eagles switched to Jalon Kilgore at quarterback after not scoring in the first half.
Still, they couldn’t get anything going offensively as Oconee County’s defense stood tall. Senior Samson Stearns was all over the field for the Warriors. He recorded nine total stops and one tackle for loss in the victory over Putnam County.
Warriors’ safety Bill Lewis also had a career night, registering 10 total tackles and a pick. He intercepted a Kilgore pass late in the fourth quarter when the War Eagles were driving. That play led to an Oconee County touchdown a few snaps later.
Senior CJ Jones made his way into the endzone with 1:09 remaining in the final period.
“We filled our gaps better after that first drive,” Pope said. “It was a defensive battle. We’re kind of in the same breath as them, still trying to find our identity on offense. We’ve got to come out and block a little better, but also throw and catch it a little better. There are still some things to clean up and improve on each day (at practice).”
Kilgore led Putnam County with eight total tackles, with four War Eagle defenders—Rashod Daniel, Tyson Waller, Blake Tiller and Zacoree Wallace—each recording six tackles. Seth Boyer registered five stops, while Mark Watkins totaled four.
Putnam’s defensive line got a lot of push and pressured Warriors quarterback Max Ricks for most of the contest. Senior ‘Tre Smith had three total tackles and one tackle for loss. Freshman Jayson Smith also recorded a sack and two quarterback pressures.
“They (Putnam County) were able to get through the line and tackle us for a loss,” Hall said. “We can’t have that. We’ve got to be more sound in our adjustments. We had a guard that went down, and a younger one that comes to replace him. It just takes one of those guys, with our style of play, to not execute and then it breaks down. However, I am proud of the guys who played ball for four quarters and won the game. Putnam County is a very physical football team, and they are very talented.”
Putnam County had a tough schedule through its first two games. The War Eagles defeated Baldwin (Class AAAA) in their opener and faced Oconee County (Class AAA) last Friday. They are currently ranked No. 9 in Class AA, per the Maxwell Ratings.
Next up for the War Eagles is Jasper County (1-2) in Monticello this upcoming week. The Hurricanes are coming off a disappointing 65-7 loss to Morgan County last Friday.
“Games like these help,” Pope said of the War Eagles’ matchups against the Braves and the Warriors. “It boils down to competing. As I said, the scoreboard doesn’t define us. I thought we stood toe-to-toe, for the most part. Yes, we gave up some plays, but I thought we competed with a top-notch program in the state. "I knew that if we wanted to advance and do the things we want to do here to reach our goals, we’re going to schedule tough competition. I think our program’s ready for that.”